Hope?
by drakeara
Summary: I've never had much luck in my life, but when I'm thrown out of college, could this play as a good thing? Self incertion. OC/? Possible connon shippings. Angsty trail of selfdescovery
1. Prologue

A/N: Hey, Drakeara here. Yeah, this story's gonna be in first person surrent time all the way through, though I may slip up sometimes (I'm only human).

There may be some OC/CC (thats cannon character btw).

There's also gonna be plent of angst.

And just as I final note, the me in this fic is slightly different from the real me, namely, this me has never seen Ouran.

All the same, enjoy!

* * *

Prologue

It's a Monday. I hate Mondays. They're so… slow and cold. Everyone's partly hung over from drinking over the weekend and tired from the weekends screwed over sleeping pattern. Mondays are just too much hard work. And to make matters worse, it's an awful, gloomy day. Such an English day. That doesn't matter to me right now. I say nothing with my hair shielding my eyes and my bag is deadweight on my shoulder. I had just been given the most painful news of my life. I'd been kicked off the course and failed that year at college. Yet again, my dreams were crumbing before my face. It was only with a lot of inner strength that I manage to keep the tears in. A hand lands on my shoulder.

"Abi…We heard what happened. Are you gonna be ok? I mean…Like you said; it'd be hard to make it into the Fire Service without at least these full two years behind you." One of my ex-class mates said, just trying to comfort me.

"I'll be fine." I reply a little coldly. "I mean, there's a whole world out there for me" But not the world I want. "'Sides, it's my own fault for being so lax." I shrug her hand away from me and begin to walk away. "I gotta go: I'm not welcome in this college anymore…"

* * *

As soon as I'm out of sight and earshot of them, I let the demanding tears in my eyes fall. And soon more join them until there's a small stream of them flowing down my face. I just stand there on the middle step crying silently and relentlessly to myself. I screwed up. Big time. And I've got no one to blame but myself. There's no one I could let comfort me. It's just me and my own stupidity. Forcing myself to stop with a few deep breaths, I wipe away the left over tears and pull out my MP3 player and large decorative headphones.

I become so caught up in regret and loud, angsty music that I fail to notice that I walked clean out of the college main building, out of the grounds and out to the road below.

I was so caught up in thought and concentrating on my regret so much that I hardly heard the screech of tires and the blaring horn…

And then there was only blackness…


	2. A Whole New World

A Whole New World. (yes, I ripped the title for this one from Aladdin, don't sue)

Around me there is nothing nothing, just a sheer blackness. Am I dead? Am I in hell or going to heaven? No, the sins of my life were not that serious enough for hell and I am an atheist, so there is no place in Gods domain for me. Wait. I can feel something now. Something hard and slightly hot. Stone. Evidently some kind of stone that had been in the direct light of the sun. There are a few of them, at least four. Maybe five. Around them, there is some kind of softer, cooler damper surface. Grass. Well groomed grass by the feel of things. I could also feel the strap of my bag in my hand and my headphones around my neck. More senses are starting to work now. The air smells heavily of cut grass, confirming that it is defiantly grass beneath me, and flowers. Lots of mixed ones. I must be in some kind of garden. There are wild birds chirping. House Sparrows and blackbirds. No pigeons or seagulls, notably. A warm, soft hand on my cheek suddenly pries me from my thoughts. I manage to find the strength to open my eyes. At first, I can hardly see at all, like I was looking at the world through my brother's glasses. There is a blurry figure leaning over me, silueted against the blue sky. So I am indefinitely outside then. The stranger's face starts to come into focus as well now. Its defiantly a woman, around forty five years old. She wrinkled a little too, with her elegant chocolate hair tinting grey in places. Her eyes are in an almost identical shade, with concern in them. For me?

"What happened?" I asked out loud unintentionally. My usually neutral voice sounded hoarse, even to me.

"We are not sure, you miss. You just suddenly stumbled into our garden from nowhere and collapsed." She explained. Her voice seemed to match the rest of her perfectly. Gentle and kindly. "It was, well, like magic…" She trailed off unsurely.

"Ah, um where, exactly are we? Out of curiosity."

"This is my home, the Liouyuki Estate." Liouyuki? I have never heard of any place called Liouyuki. I asked her to elaborate further. "We are in Upper Tokyo, in case you have not noticed." TOKYO! In Japan! But I was in Essex this morning! I was home this morning… I shoot upright in shock, nearly head butting her in the process. She just let out a little cry.

"Tokyo! How on earth did I get across the sea without even realising it!?" She hasn't got a clue as of what I'm talking about. "Christ!" I mutter resting my head in my hands with my elbows over my knees. She places a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Now, dear. My name is Ikazuchi Hanaka wife of Ikazuchi Baku, CEO of one of the largest Manga publishers this side of America. Who might you be?"

"Abigail. Abigal Foster." I say formally, freeing one hand and offering it to her. "I'm-" I began to explain what I call myself when my stomach growled loudly. A blush creeps onto my face.

"Hungry, apparently. Come, Abigail-san, sweetheart. Lets go and get the chef to fix you up a nice lunch." I smile at her gratefully as we help each other to our feet.

* * *

Hana is such a sweet woman. Sweet, but sad beneath that. The poor dear had no children of her own. She did once, a long time ago, with her husband. They were young then, and barely older then me. But something had gone wrong with their little daughter. She had passed away in her sleep. It took a few long ears before Hanaka could even try for children again, but she contracted ovary cancer, and couldn't have any more children. It devastated them. But Mrs. Ikazuchi is grateful. She is still alive and otherwise perfectly healthy. They now are the main donors in child protection agencies worldwide. Baku, despite his own fathers cruel suggestions, stuck by Hanaka. Even though he has no named hair and is long beyond being able to make one with another woman, he won't adopt. He tells me that he wishes to find not only the perfect person to take over his company, but someone who his wife could love as her own child. The look on Hana's face told me that he may have been implying me.

"Mr. Baku?" I ask. Though I've been here a whole month now, I still haven't picked up on loads of Japanese habits. "What are you getting at retelling me this all of a sudden?" It was one of the first things he ever said to me properly.

"My wife and I have been talking. We wish to adopt you officially." He says with calm authority. I have no say in this, obviously. However, I really don't mind. I smile back at his authoritive smirk. This is all the confirmation he needs that I agree, and we both know it.

"But can I keep my full name, please? I've kinda grown attached to it." I smile.

"For now. But when you come of age to inherit the business, you will change it. You will become Abigail Ikazuchi." He's so cold sometimes, but I know he loves me deep down, just because Hana does.

* * *

My God! It is Hideous! That yellow _monster_ is my school uniform. Silly frilly, knee length skirt, rediculas high collar and hideous puffed sleeves. There is a reason dresses like this die in the world of fashion. It hangs there on a hanger over the wardrobe door in m bedroom as I sit here on my oversized bed glaring at it. Loud pop that Baku had flown over from American booms out from the speakers, but I'm not really listening to it. Really the only thing in my mind is that evilly ugly monster that I must wear every single school day. EW! With a fake shudder, I flump back onto by bed, a switch of my CD player with the remote.

"Its gonna be a long day tomorrow." I tell the adorable stuffed lion that takes up most of my pillow space. Tomorrow I'm starting my new high school. Ouran.

* * *

The alarm starts to buzz in that annoying loud way that alarm clocks do again. The first three times, I had blanked it out, but now it was getting annoying. Why had I set it to the incisive setting? Oh, yeah. School. HOLY COW! SCHOOL! I bounce out of bed and grab the alarm. Sugar, Honey, Ice Tea! I'm late! On my first day and I'm gonna be way late! As quickly as possible, I rip of the clothes that I had worn yesterday and jump into fresh underwear and my new evil thing. I take a moment to check my hair. It was died a deep purple and cut into an almost boy-cut to fraim my face. The new fringe covered my right eye like an emo. My eyes themselves are a greyed blue and my face is fair and slightly round. I had a comfortable B cup chest and a newly flattened stomach. But appearances were the least of concerns. I have just enough time for the quickest wash ever and then a sprint downstairs. Fortunately, the dining hall was on-route from my room to the front door. I steal a slice of buttered toast from Baku's plate, and plant a quick kiss goodbye on Hana's cheek.

"By Abi, have fun." I hear her call behind me as I dart away. Our driver is already out there and ready to go. I don't even bother to open the devil red convertible's car door and I vault myself in and buckle up.

"Close call, Foster-Sama." Perks up the young a cocky man who is our personal valley. I'm not gonna bother replying, too outta breath from that run. I am so not a runner. I just sign 'Go' to him, and we leave. Boy, am I glad I put my bag in here last night.

* * *

This place is HUGE! I mean, freaking indescribably huge! At first glance, I thought I wasn't that much bigger than the forts near where I lived, but it was like the TARDIS from Doctor Who inside! All the Ceilings are so high and everything seems to be made of marble or be pink panelled. Beneath the low heeled smart shoes that are suppose to match the uniform, the carpet too feels so plush and comfortable to walk on. Just a few paces in front of me, the head teacher is ranting on about the whole history of every freakin' _atom_ of this school. Of course, I'm not listening. My ears are discreetly filled with my new small in-ear headphones. The soundtrack for my favourite game is on loop. Uff! He suddenly stops and I crash into his back for my lack on concentration. Subtly, I pause my MP3.

"…And this, Foster is you're class." He raps his knuckles over the door to announce his presence, and opens it before anyone cold for him. "Kuromuchki-Senpai? You're new arrival is here." Quite roughly, he grabs my wrist and pulls me into the room. Eyes of all varieties stair inconsiderately at me. This is uncomfortable. The head teacher, Mr. Suou, then leaves.

"Ah, yes: Class, this is Foster Abigail. Foster, I would like to welcome you to Class 2ic, and hope you enjoy your time in our school and class." She say's with no real kindness. She then turned to address the class. "Now, who would like to watch over our new classmate?" Two rather energetic looking girls arms shoot up in unison. "Ok. Foster, would you please take that empty seat between Tokoyuchi and Dream?" I nod robotically, and take said seat, stuffing my somewhat emprty and large bag underneath the conjoining desk. Ms Kuromuchki then excused herself for ten minutes. As soon as she leaves, I pull out my sketchpad and pencil and begin to doodle. It's nothing really, just stars and random Anime eyes and little things like that. I feel very prominent eyes to my right.

"Whatcha drawing? I'm Tokoyuchi Ai, what do you want us to call you?" she asks, giving me no time answer the first. Her hair is shoulder-length and bright blond with pink tips. Her eyes are a sort of soft amber colour and her skin is cutely sun kissed.

"Just Abi, and nothing really…"

"Well how can you be drawing nothing, 'Just Abi'? There's stuff on the page?" The girl on my other side is asking somewhat rudely. I snap my head around to face her. She has longer hair than Ai, in a deep blue that complimented her 'Ultraviolet' eyes and tan skin. Both of them are equally as happy and lively as the other. The 'Just Abi' line seemed to be some kind of really old joke. "Abi, I'm Dream Nagami. Welcome to Ouran." I hear Ai tutting in a friendly way.

"No, not yet. You are no girl of the school until you have at least seen the Host Club." Host Club? Why, oh why does this sound so worrying?

* * *

Ok, maybe if I am really, really quite, I can sneak away from Ai and Nagami. I've managed to give myself a small opening in my day to think of a plan with the excuse of going to the toilet. My way to the safety of the library is right past the little garden I had left the two waiting. I'll have to be as silent as a thief. Well as silent as one NOT from my home town. I am a shadow, no one can notice me, I am a shadow no one…No such luck.

"Hey, Abi, you're done! Come, lets go to the Host Club!" Ai cries loudly, The duo looping an arm into each of my armpits.

"Can't we go library instead? I like libraries, they can be fun." I plea, switching attention between the tow of them at a ridicules speed.

"Nope." They said in unison, dragging me away. I feel so pathetic and trapped right now. And, oh dear God, what is this dreadful club gonna be like.

* * *

A/N: Plz review. Reviewslove!


	3. Into The Host Club

2. Into The Host Club

The two girls stand opposite each other, in mirroring poses with a hand on each of the two door handles. Both of them smile down at me, now slouching unhappily on my own two feet.

"This, my dear Abigail-chan, is the Host Club." Ai tells me formally.

"But the sign up there says-" I begin

"I don't care what the sign says. This is the host cub." Interegects Nagami, with a little snotty huff. Then in timed unison they latched the door open. At first, there is only a blinding white light, then petals come dancing out of it. Rose petals, by the feel of things as one of them land on my lip. Standing there in the huge, graceful room are seven of the most hansom men I've ever seen. I must have been gawping, because Ai pressed a finger underneath my jaw and pushed it shut with a giggle. "Well?" I not gonna reply, but my expression must be speaking volumes for me.

"Welcome to our Host Club." They say in imperfect unison. I stare bluntly a the seven boys, occasionally I give Ai and Nagami a glance to.

"Welcome back Ai-Hime, Nagami-Hime. It has been some time since you last visited." The taller blond boy addresses the trouble some duo that have somehow become my tour guides. His violet eyes fall onto me, and he gives a small bow, taking one of my hand in his. "And who might this fair princess be?" I have no time to answer, because Ai speaks up for me. Not that I'd have been able to talk anyways.

"This is our newest transfer student, Foster Abigail."

"Um, well actually, it said as Abigail Foster where I come from, but just call me Abigail please." I stutter quietly. He looks a little shocked at my quietness.

"Your name, Abigail-Hime, sounds Western."

"Its actually Hebrew, but that does not make me Hebrew thank you very much."

"Ah, well. What type would you be then? The mysterious type?" he points to a tall, dark young man who looks far older than the rest. "The Cute type?" This one appeared to be an adorable little blond haired brown-eyed child holding a pink rabbit. "The Incestrious twin type?" A pair of identical twins is next, clutching each other to form a near perfect mirror image. "The cool type?" This one is a closer to normal height boy with dark hair and glasses. "The princely type?" he points majestically to himself. "Or our newest family member; the Natural Type." Something seemed off about the brown haired and eyed 'boy' known as the Natural one. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there is something unusual about him.

"She's just gonna stick with us. To Hunni's table!" Cries Ai, grabbing my arm and dragging me into the room. I feel my eyes begin to glaze over. I'm gonna get dragged around mercilessly a lot by those two, aren't I?

Break

It's very busy in here, there are so many girls. The numbers seem to randomly multiply every time one of the hosts do something appealing. Like when Haninozuka does something cute, or the Hatchiin twins play at incest. The one known as Suou Tamaki is very popular, he flirts with all of the girls in his princely way. I suppose I can see why he's so popular, if I squint. But he's far too flamboyant for my tastes. Right now, I'm wondering around the room, just quietly watching each and every hosts style from the back, not caring if they register me or not. The only real reason I am staying is curiosity. What exactly is a host club? And why on earth did these boys set one up? I darn't say anything, as not to disturb the flow of this room. Final bored with watching the littlest host act all cute and opposite to his tall hansom cousin, Morinozuka, I wonder over to a tall stool in a corner my a window table, and plunge myself into the music that is Bring Me To Life, by evanescence. I think I'm miming along to it too, but I kinda do that sub-consciously now.

"Foster Abigail, newly adopted daughter of the Ikazuchi family." A smug, cold voice says in front of me. I jump and nearly fall off my seat from the sudden attention. My eyes fly open to look at the teenager. It's Ootori Kyouya, the lights bouncing off his glasses again so I cant see his eyes.

"Um, yes?"

"If you were adopted, that means you had no family before them, right?" I frown at him. Coincidently, the song chooses to change at that moment to Numb by Linkin Park.

"What? No, I had a family before them. And they still are my family as long as my name is Abigail Foster!" I'm so angry right now. How rude of him! I jump to my feet and glare up into his face. "How _dare_ you look down on me like that because my richer family is not me blood family. How dare you be so judge metal on my past. You know nothing of me, so you have no place to judge me!" I snap. I then stand up as tall as I can and snarl "You may think you are so much better than me, but all Humans are the same; destructive cold scum." I then push past him and begin to storm off. Partially from embarrassment that he'd provoke me into stressing at someone so quickly, but mostly from anger that anyone would look down on me and my blood. Before I get out of the door, Nagami grabs my arm and looks at me with compassion. Ai suddenly appears to my other side and pulls my fans to her chest in a protective hug. I'm not sure what expression is on her face, but somehow I'm sure she's glaring at Kyouya.

"Don't you be so mean to poor Abi!" She orders, pulling me tighter to her large bosom. "Abi's done nothing wrong to you." I can feel eyes peering down at me from all angles. "Right, Abi?" I couldn't reply "Abi, are you crying?" Am I? I can feel the front of her dress dampening. "Oh, Abigail."

"Can't. Breath." I spluttered into her chest, trying to pull away without hurting her. She instantly lets go apolitically. "Well that was embarrassing." The tears are apparently still falling down my face. Ai wipes them away, and I realise that I in fact was still crying. But why?

Break

Thank god the day is coming to a close. The tension's been so ridicules for ages thanks to that little argument with Kyouya this morning. All of his usual customers have been giving me evils and other customers have been randomly glomping and hugging me all morning. It started to get annoying, so I hid in Tamaki's crowd. I only half-heartedly attempted to act like I was paying attention to his random flirting, for I was too caught up in the music on my MP3. He suddenly places a gentle hand on my knee and the other under his own chin tipping his head to the side and smirking playfully. I blush at the close proximity of our faces.

"Does my presence not entertain you enough, Abigail-Hime?" He jokes. Fortunately, my music isn't that loud that it drown out the rest of the world. I can't talk, only gasp and gawp at the sudden attention. Not very social, am I. Suddenly, a bell rings.

"The host club is closed." Announces Tamaki, standing upright. I'm still frozen to the seat. All the other girls begin to file out. The one known as Haruhi suddenly skims past, I lean back over the chair, ignoring any looks I get. I grab his arm, and look up at his cute face.

"Can I have a word with you after the rest of the girls are gone?" I ask in hushed tones. He looks confused, and nods slowly.

Break

The view from the window was hypnotic. The carefully groomed gardens that end at the tall, elegant wall. Beyond that, the richer half of the city stretched as far as my eyes could see. The sun just touched the top of some of the further off buildings and the sky was painted in shades of orange and pink. I love it when the sky is like this. I feel a presence step up beside me and look over to see whom it is. It's Haruhi.

"You wanted to talk to me?" he asks gently.

"Yeah, I do…Now this may be a bit forward and a bit assumptive of me, but are you really male? I mean you don't have that male _air_ to you that men are suppose is gay/feminine men. But you just lack it. So are you?" I question, scratching the nervous spot on the back of my head. She/He looks astounded a little. What, were they expecting me to ask something else? "You can tell me, I promise I won't tell anyone. Not even Hana." She/He looks back at the other Hosts, who had at some point gathered around to watch, for reassurance. Our eyes lock again.

"Um, no I'm not. I'm a girl."

"Oh, ok. Well its nice to finally formally meet you Miss Haruhi Fujioka. I hope we do get to be good friends." I give her a little close mouth smile and hold my hand out to her.

* * *

A/N: Reviews are love!

Like I said in the description, I'm not sure of the direct shipping of this, but so far Haruhi is off the list, because I'm not homo!

Next update whenever

TTFN!


	4. Animes And Enemies

DEDICATED TO ALL THOSE POOR PEOPLE WHO WERE EVER VICTEMS OF BULLIES

* * *

3. Anime and Enemies.

Uhg. What day is it? What does it matter? It's a school day at least. Music is evidently not enough to blank out the refined madness of that place. I look around my room, still not dressed at all, for something else to do that day. My laptop. That bag has my sketchbook in it too, so I can do some drawing. Maybe I can work on my animation skills to. There are a few things that I need to finish anyways. So it's decided. I drag myself from the warm sanctuary of my bed and into the overdone private bathroom adjacent to it. After getting washed and dressed, I grab my expensive laptop bag and dart down for breakfast. I seriously better not be making a habit about running for school, but this house is so big that to get anywhere in good time you have to run. My breakfast is just a simple bowl of bran flakes and a glass of orange. I refuse the full Japanese breakfast that the chef insists I should be having, and run off as soon as I'm finished. Constantine, our young and cocky driver, is already waiting in my favourite car with my bag abandoned inelegantly in the back seat. I dropped my laptop more gently besides it, and hopped into my seat.

"You ready, Cons'?"

"Whenever you are, ma'am." And we drive off. I suppose, giving him a glance, he is quite cute. His face is well formed and nicely shaped, with wide silver eyes that he sadly keeps hidden most of the time behind a pair of shades. Cons', as I've taken to calling him, has blond hair a little shorter than my own styled spiked out and mainly pointing behind him, apart from a few stylised 'strays', with fern dye in its tips. His skin is flawless and bronzed and his build is nicely muscled, without being overbearing. Said muscles he keeps hidden beneath the uniformed white, short sleeved shirt and woollen vest. To match these, he wears black slacks and formal shoes. The most shocking thing about him is that he, in technically, is only a year and a half my senior. Yeah, I suppose you could say that I do in fact have a crush on him…but only a little one.

Break

Hosting has now started, and groups of us girls are all sitting around our favourite outside. Yes, today we're all outside in the early autumn warmth having a traditional Asian tea party. I, myself, am sitting just behind Tamaki's girls with my laptop in my lap a the evil skirt hitched up till the black baggy shorts I decided to wear, disregarding of the rules, underneath are visible. I'm a little busy working on one of my 'crazy' projects to pay full attention to any of the clubs activities. I think my tongue might be pushing out of the corner of my mouth, like it often does when I'm concentrating on something that I love doing. I only half register the world around me.

"What's this?" Two of the same hand reaches out from just behind me, and pulls my laptop away from me, holding it just out of my reach. Twins!

"Ah! Give it back! I'm not finished! Still gotta colour in the last few sets! No, don't play it!" They're not listening. The mouse is moved to the onscreen preview button, and my monster is played. The somewhat twisted and incomplete own video I had animated, frame by frame, myself to the song 'Bring Me To Life' sprung to life before their eyes. The volume on it was low, so only the three of us could hear it at all. My blush grows deeper and deeper the more it plays. What'd they think of me making a music video of a girl all chained up and vanishing? As I heard it come to a stop, my head dropped and I stayed frozen on all fours, awaiting their contempt. Had I been a dog born a dog, my tail surely would be between my legs. After a few moments of silence, I bravely look up. Loads of eyes are on us.

"Not bad…" They say nonplussed, somewhat unhappy that they can't use it to play with my mind. "Got any others?"

"Um… I've got one of the 911 edition of We're in Heaven (AKA: I Miss You, Daddy). And Stunt's Raindrops. And a few chapters from a manga I read…" I explain unsurely. All these at some point had been given animated subtitles.

"What's that first one about?" Ai asks, emerging from the crowds around Haninozuka. How do I know Hunni is hidden in those girls? Mori is there. I can see him, just over even the standing girls.

"It's about the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in America. It's very sad." In a little flurry of servant madness, a large TV is wheeled out, and my laptop is plugged into it with complicated wires. I didn't know you could even do that. And how's the TV working without power wires? A load of people flurry in front of the expensive screen that could as well have been from some kind of private cinema, and my lesser animation skills are thrown out in front of them. All I can do is cringe. All half of them seem to do is cry. Is that a good thing? I can just hope that they're tears for the beautiful sadness of the young girl's voice-over as she spoke out to her lost father and not for my awful style. I listen in agony as the end credits music briefly sing out (the chorus of Calling from The World End With You, turned down to sound softer.). It's so quiet now, and I can feel some eyes on me behind my hand. Even though they insist that they enjoyed it, I still feel so mortified. "…Can I have my laptop back now…Please…?" I am never bringing my laptop to school again!

Break.

Finally! I have escaped the Host clubs grasp for a while! Ah, feels good to be free! I managed to sneak out from class early, because I offered to deliver a book to another class for Sensei. I stretch my arms out and lock them behind my head lazily. Blindly, I find myself wondering into in-school gang territory that everyone but me seems to know about.

"Hey, newbie! What are you doing on our Patch?" A somewhat vicious sounding girl snaps. I take a somewhat apologetic, defensive pose.

"Sorry, I didn't realise. I'll just take another route." I turn on my heel, and attempt to make my way out of there.

"Nope, rule is you step in our grounds, you pay up!" Replies the apparent leader of the gang, making her way towards me.

"What? You people even do that here? But this is a rich school!" I ask rhetorically. "Aren't you guys meant to be loaded?"

"Yeah, we are but we want your cash too." I can't help but to tsk them.

"Pathetic." I can smell that girls anger before she even realises what I said.

"You calling us pathetic?" She snarls. Stepping up into my face. I try to sidestep away, showing that I don't want to fight.

"No. I'm say what you do is." Her gang starts to surround us, clearly expecting a fight that I didn't want to give. Dear god, they do that in this school too? "I don't want a fight." I say, putting my hands up. "I didn't come here to. And I did not call you pathetic."

"She did the lying rat." A Stirrer cries, desperately trying to twist my words. The others start to jeer too. In her blind anger, the leader grabs the from of my collar. "Hit 'er, Kari-Sama!"

"Call us pathetic again, go on I dare you." Kari hisses in my face.

"I did not call you Pathetic! Moron!" I can't help myself. That's what they're being. A fist collides with my right eye, making me stumble back a few steps. My hand automatically flies to it.

"Don't call me a moron!" She snarls, pushing herself in my face again

"Don't ACT like a moron then!" I reply almost quietly. She pushes me down with such force, I actually skid a bit. Her foot flies up and lands in my stomach.

"I said. Don't. Call. Me. A Moron!" With every word, she kicks my gut again. By now, I'm on my side, so winded the whole world seems blurred. I can't breath. I can't move. My hair's fallen out of place and I think I can taste my own blood in my mouth. "Pratt. Now you are going to pay the fee every day till graduation, or else! Ya hear me 'Moron'?" Her friends laugh at that last remark as they all start to drift away from me. I lay frozen in the dirt for a few more moments recovering my breath and waiting for silence to return. Slowly and shakily, as soon as I feel safe, I rise up and limp away from the scene. I better go to the nurses' office. I think something is bleeding.

Break

Having finally fully got my breath back and recovered from enough from their attack, I make my way up to the Music Room. I must have missed a whole period of lesions. The best place, the safest place, to wait for Ai and Nagami is in the Host Club. Surrounded by a sea of unfamiliar faces. Ok, so I'm a little early, but no harm in that, right? Kyoya is already in there, I think Tamaki is near too, writing in his infamous black notebook by the window. Atomically, I make sure my hair is fully covering my eye.

"Good evening Kyoya, you don't mind me waiting in here early do you? I just got out of the nurses office, and there's no point in going back to class, so I want to wait for Ai and Nagami here please." He nods, allowing it, and the room falls into an uncomfortable silence. "…Kyoya?" I bravely pipe up a few minutes later. "I never apologised for my behaviour at the beginning of the year… I'm sorry I snapped at you and accused you of looking down on my family. I just felt like, I dunno, that I had something to cover for them about. And myself."

"A customer needn't apologise for such actions long in the past." He said simply. I give an appreciative, half-hearted smile. It felt a little better to apologise. At that moment, the rest of the Hosts start to spill in, giving me a small 'Hello' in their own ways as they do. Not long after them, customers take their places.

"Abi!" Ai calls out with a slight bounciness to it. "Where did you disappear to? We were worried." She starts to tug me over to seat by the Host Clubs King, Tamaki. Nagami gives an under-enthusiastic nod of agreement to my other side.

"Oh, um, I was, uh, feeling a little drained so I went to the nurses' office?" My god, it is hard to lie to those two. I get an 'Ah, poor Abi' from Ai, who apparently didn't fully listen to me, or she would have picked up on the unsure ness in my voice. I just smile almost embarrassed in another one of her 'Headlock Hugs'. As she released me and shuffled me around to the seat, my memory suddenly snapped back to my hair. Silently, I prayed that it hadn't fallen too much out of place whilst Ai glomped and fussed over me, and tugged it down over my eye firmly again, just to make sure.

Break

Soon enough, I was forgotten in the crowd of giggling, happy, love-struck girls as Prince Tamaki found a way to flirt with nearly all of us. I was happy not to have any attention on my, just wallow in the others nigh on psychotic happiness Suddenly, Tamaki's attention was on me, his beautiful face scarily close to mine.

"Why is our lovely English Rose hiding herself so shyly today?" He quirks, evidently remembering the fact that I had mentioned that I was infact of English birth. I just laugh embarrassed and try to pull back and cover my eye even more.

"No, I'm not hiding myself. Aheh."

"But half your face is hidden by you hair, as lovely as those purple lock are." He reaches out to move the gelled spike that hides my right eye, but I just bat his hand away.

"I, um, like it this way?" By now everyone has given us a bit of space to watch, fair and not jealous in the sliest.

"Don't worry, Abi-Hime. There is nothing you need hide here in the host club." He was blatantly ignoring the fact that I didn't want my hair touched. Before I could knock his hand away again, he flicked my nigh-on perfectly spiked mask of hair out of the way. Everyone took in a sharp inhale of air. Covering most of the soft flesh of my right eye was a painful looking bruise. Everything around me was still for a moment. Anger and pain suddenly wells up inside of me.

"There! Are you happy now? Yes I have a black eye!" I snap. An instant later, I feel that throbbing sensation in my heart like I'm going to cry and jump up on the seat, over the back of it and into an ominous looking door being me that I don't recall being there before. I can feel their shocked eyes on my back. The room on the other side of the door was dark, lit only by a few candles against a sinister looking shrine. I let the poor light in the room embrace me as I sink to the floor, a few tears starting to streak down my face. Soon enough, I was curled up, sobbing silently into my knees. A sudden, alien presence shoots me up into full alertness. A mysterious figure cloaked in a hooded black cape that only showed half his face stood before me, his yellow cat puppet staring down at me. I didn't know what one to make eye contact with.

"Why are you crying, young miss?" he asks the feline puppet dancing as he spoke.

"Its…I…Um…" I wasn't fully sure what to say, in shock of this odd person. Sensing my confusion and pain, he squatted down in front of me, his pretty face coming almost into full view.

"Its ok, you can tell v and Nekozawa." The one apparently called Nekozawa said kindly. I felt soothed by his presence and kind but creepy voice.

"…Someone hit me and left _this_," I pointed to the unhidden black eye, "And said they were going to make me pay up every day till graduation and then I went to the Host Club, trying to hide the fact

That I got beaten up, but Tamaki-senpai moved my hair and everyone saw the black eye so I ran out." I said in one breath. The cat puppet tipped its head at me, clearing showing that Nekozawa was thinking. "…I guess I was just embarrassed." A Sigh escapes my lips as I finish.

"Have you told them all of what happened?" I shake my head.

"They're too busy with all their other guests to care about one little rag like me."

"Nonsense! As a Host, it is our duty to care about all our guests!" Announces Suou, flinging the door open. Evidently everyone had been eavesdropping. The kindly, odd Nekozawa hisses at the sudden intrusion of light and, with a loud cry of 'Murder!' scampers off into the black abyss of his private corridors. For a moment, I stare after him, before looking back up at Tamaki, barely noting the crowd of curios people behind him. "Why did you not tell us of that incident sooner? We might be able to do something about it." He smiles at me, attempting to comfort me. Cute. Gently and considerately, he helps me to my feet. I manage to disguise the sharp stab of pain along my ribs. I hope nothing is broken.


End file.
